X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of Benivoglio" 

Editor: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Portrait of Benivoglio", attributed to John Smibert. The starkness of this X-ray gives the portrait an almost ghostly presence. What hidden narratives do you think this view reveals? Curator: It's like glimpsing the soul of the painting, isn't it? The X-ray peels back layers, revealing the artist's process, corrections, pentimenti...it's a conversation across time. I wonder what Smibert was thinking when he laid down those first strokes. Editor: So, it’s not just about seeing what's underneath, but also imagining the artist’s hand at work? Curator: Precisely! It's a detective story, a ghostly dialogue between us, the artist, and the sitter, mediated by science. An invitation to consider time and mortality. Editor: That's such a cool way to look at it; I’ll never see X-rays the same way again!